Final, 2-1 Italy: Italy has pulled off one of the biggest shocks of Euro 2012. The Azzuri knocked the Germans out of the tournament many expected them to win.

Mario Balotelli's goal explosion will go down as one of the great feats of strength in this tournament. But Italy's effort was a collective one.

Germany had its chances to take control of the game early on, but it failed to do so. Balotelli and Cassano struggled at the outset, but Italy scored once they finally clicked. The Germans responded with aggression and Balotelli scored again off a counterattack.

Italian soccer players are trained to hold leads from the cradle to the grave, and this brave group did just that. Italy earned a deserved place in Sunday's final, where it will meet Spain.

That's all for now and thanks for joining us. Let's discuss this one on Twitter @NESNsoccer and Facebook. Be sure to keep an eye out for some news, fan reactions, analysis and opinion that is on the way on NESN.com.

92nd minute, 2-1 Italy: Balzaretti and Barzagli both use their hands in the area, but the referee can only award one penalty.

It's much tougher to tell what Italy boss Cesare Prandelli is up to. He has tinkered with his defense throughout Euro 2012, and continues to do so against Germany.

At any time in the game, Italy can have anywhere from three to five defenders along its back line. De Rossi has been known to sit back with the central defenders and stifle attacks. What is certain is that Chiellini, one of Italy's top defenders, has shaken off the hamstring problem that kept him out of the quarterfinal win over England to re-take his place in the starting 11.

There is plenty of star-gazing for fans to do in this game. But it may be worth focusing on the goalkeepers. Buffon has been one of the world's best for over a decade. Neuer is already among the best in the game and is widely expected to stay there for the next decade.

Schweinsteiger and Pirlo are two of the great midfield conductors. They will try and dictate the tempo and put their teammates in position to succeed. We have to wonder how Schweinsteiger's ankle problem and the 120 minutes Pirlo played against England will affect their performances.

12:00 a.m. ET: Germany and Italy meet on Thursday in the semifinal of the 2012 UEFA European Championship. The two traditional powers made clean breaks with their respective pasts to reach this point. What happens next will go a long way toward shaping the future of soccer.

Historically, Germany has mixed power with ruthless efficiency to get results at major tournaments. But the current team has added flair and imagination to those longtime traits. Many believe this group of German players is on the cusp of European — and possibly global — domination.

Germany is the in-form team of world soccer. It has won its last 15 competitive games, including all four at Euro 2012. It was the only team in the competition to achieve that feat, and the confidence of German players, coaches and fans is reaching the point of overflow. A win on Thursday would put Germany in position to win its first major tournament since 1996, and create a model that the world will strive to copy.

Standing in the way is Italy. The soccer-mad country has produced winning teams throughout the generations, and it does so by any means necessary. Italian teams achieved great success with a "defense-first" mentality (also known as catenaccio or "door bolt") in a previous era. It was fully content to grind out results in close games.

But the current Italian team has played with a balance and openness that marks a new style for the historic power. A win would put it in the final, where the current generation of Italians may walk in the (fine, hand-crafted leather) shoes of past giants and take a place in the pantheon of greats.

The youthful Germans have the advantage of two extra days' rest. They beat Greece 4-2 in overwhelming fashion on Friday. On Sunday, Italy beat England on penalty kicks after sweating through 120 scoreless minutes.

Germany seeks to defeat Italy for the first time — after six failed attempts — at a major tournament. It intends to impose its style and will, as German teams are wont to do, on the opponent. Italy will stress balance but promises to take risks against the tournament favorites. The world will be watching as two powers, who have reshaped how the game is played in their countries (and around the world) face off.

Join us right here for Germany-Italy. We'll have all the action starting at 2 p.m.